


I Was In The Neighborhood

by waterbird13



Series: Tumblr Fics [458]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-07 03:27:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11050341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waterbird13/pseuds/waterbird13
Summary: Tony needs a shoulder to lean on.





	I Was In The Neighborhood

Tony hastily rubs his eyes as he goes to open the door. No sense in the world seeing him like this, although it’s not like it would make them think worse of him. They already don’t think he can hack it, after all.

He expects Obie, maybe, coming with some sort of plan. Rhodey makes him pause mid step. “What are you doing here?”

“I was in the neighborhood,” Rhodey says, stepping inside without waiting to be invited, dropping his bag carelessly, and hauling Tony close. He still has his uniform on, Tony realizes when he knocks the hat loose in his desperate attempt to deepen the hug.

Tony manages a watery chuckle. “You were in the neighborhood of several classified countries I’m legally not allowed to know the name of.”

“Mhm. C'mere, Tones. Gonna keep me in the doorway all day?”

“How’d you even know?” Tony asks, releasing Rhodey just enough to walk over to the couch.

“I don’t know. You sounded pretty fucked up when we talked yesterday though.”

“How’d you leave?” Rhodey hesitates a moment too long, and Tony panics. “Don’t…tell me you’re not AWOL. Christ, Rhodes, not for something as stupid as this, tell me you’re not AWOL.”

“I’m not AWOL,” Rhodey says immediately. “And whatever’s going on with you, it’s not stupid, okay? So don’t say that. I’m not AWOL. I just…maybe stretched the truth about this being a family emergency a bit. It’s not that long a pass, but it’s the best I could do.”

“How’d you even…” Tony shakes his head. Rhodey’s not telling him the truth. He’s not lying, he wouldn’t lie, and he wouldn’t go AWOL just like that either. But they don’t hand out leaves for family emergencies to guys who can’t verify what’s going on and whose “family” is their drunken fuckup of a college best friend and secret lover.

Rhodey pecks him on the lips softly, chastely. “Don’t worry about me right now. I’ve got it handled. Tell me about you.”

“Board’s trying to lock me out,” Tony says. Barely twenty-one and ready to step into the big chair, the daunting shoes his father left, the spot Obadiah and him have been readying, and the board wants Obadiah. Tried, true, trusted Obie, and Tony gets that, but the company’s his. And he’s been building them weapons since he was a goddamn teenager, since before puberty even hit. He knows how to steer this company where it needs to go.

He doesn’t say it but he knows Rhodey hears it anyways, just squeezes him tighter. “You want that job?” He asks.

“I have to,” Tony says. “I don’t know, maybe I’d be happier working at a fucking Radio shack somewhere–” Rhodey snorts “–or just building robots in my garage, but I’ll never know if I don’t do this, and I have to.”

“Then you’ll do it. You, Obie, you’ll convince the board. You’re a charming bastard, Stark,” Rhodey teases. “You’ll make it happen just like anything else. And you’ll take Stark Industries where it needs to go. And I’ll be here the entire way.”

“Promise?”

“You know me, Tony,” Rhodey says. “I’m not going anywhere.”


End file.
